Medical Naturopaths

Sensible Alternative has four qualified Naturopaths:

• Lara Grinevitch
• Deborah Bunford
• Kate O'Flynn
• Anna Dwyer

All four of us work according to the same testing and treatment protocols for hormonal conditions. If you need help with hormonal conditions, particularly PCOS or Hashimoto's thyroid disease, you can count on the same quality care from any one of us. If you are uncertain about which practitioner you should see, please talk to Anna about that when you book.

Lara Grinevitch, BSc. ND.

Lara qualified as a Naturopathic Doctor (Canada) from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (www.ccnm.edu) in Toronto in 1997.  CCNM is one of only five accredited Naturopathic Medical training facilities in North America.  Graduates are recognised as Naturopathic doctors in Canada and the US. In Australia, Lara is registered as a Naturopath.

Lara has been practicing Naturopathic Medicine for eleven years. In addition to the work with patients, which she loves, Lara regularly writes and lectures about natural health.

Lara's Philosophy

Pay close attention to detail.

Lara's greatest strength is that she genuinely enjoys hearing people's stories. This is important because the answer is often in the details. She says: "A person's health at any given time is the sum total of all of the emotional, nutritional and environmental influences up until that point".

Have knowledge of the subclinical

Very unwell people have often been told that their medical tests are normal. This may be because your doctor has not tested for the correct thing.  Do not wait until you have a medically-diagnosable disease! Naturopathically-oriented testing picks up problems before they progress to something more serious.

Identify the obstacles to health.

Bottom Line: The body wants to be well. If it is not well, then something is preventing it from being so.

The following are the most common obstacles to health. There are also many others.

• Birth Control Pill, anti-depressants or other pharmaceuticals
• Food senstivities, especially wheat and cow's milk
• Past injury to body
• Past injury to metabolic system by anti-biotics and other medications
• Nutritional deficiencies, especially magnesium, vitamin D and iodine
• Exposure to environmental toxins such as fly-sprays and solvent fumes
• Stress
• Fixed emotional patterns. Homoeopathy is particularly effective for addressing this type of obstacle.

Long-term tablets should not be necessary

A return to health should not require the taking of many tablets. In the short term, nutritional supplements, homoeopathy, herbs or natural hormones catalyse the body's return to health. In the long-term, the only thing that should be necessary is a healthy diet, and maybe a good quality multi-vitamin.

Accreditations

Accredited ATMS Member 14853 (Naturopath, Herbalist, Homoeopath)

Bowen Therapy Academy Member

Deborah Bunford, BSc ND

Deborah received her Bachelor of Science at McMaster University, and her qualification as a Naturopathic Doctor (Canada) from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (www.ccnm.edu). Like Lara, she is recognised as a Naturopathic doctor in Canada and the US. 

Deborah moved to Australia in 2005 and has been practicing in Sydney ever since. What makes Deborah unique as a Naturopath in Australia is not only her training, but also her use of Acupuncture combined with the other common naturopathic treatments. This is a highly effective treatment for hormonal imbalances.

Deborah's Philosophy

Thorough Assessments.

To develop a complete understanding of a person’s current health status, it is important to take a detailed case history, relevant physical exam and follow this up with specific tests. It is important to look deeper than just the obvious symptoms, as these symptoms alone do not provide a full picture of one’s health.

Individualised treatment plans.

Naturopaths are able to choose from a wide variety of treatment modalities. The right combination of clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture gets the most effective and long lasting results.

Empowering and Educating Patients.

Deborah emphasises self-responsibility for health. "When a person understands both their health condition, treatment and prevention strategies, it motivates them to be more committed to sticking with their treatment plan."

Balance

Good health is a state of balance that can be maintained in the long-term with the appropriate support.

Accreditations

Accredited ATMS Member 19318 (Naturopath, Herbalist, Homeopath)

Acupuncture

Kate O'Flynn, BHSc ND

Kate obtained a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) from University of New England and an Advanced Diploma in Naturopathy at Nature Care College in 2001. She is currently completing a Masters in Applied Science (Acupuncture) at RMIT University.

Kate has worked as a naturopath for the past eight years and is passionate about women's health and fertility, specialising in reproductive health, infertility, menopause, miscarriage prevention and pre-conception care. Some of the issues that Kate has successfully treated that affect reproductive health include; Endometriosis, PCOS, Thyroid Disorders, Poor sperm count, quality and morphology, and Autoimmune disorders.

Kate conducts frequent university lectures on women's health and fertility and has authored the student Female Reproductive Health Manual currently used by Nature Care College where she has lectured for many years.

Providing caring, thorough and professional assessment including dietary, weight/stress management and lifestyle advice, Kate utilises both conventional and complimentary health care models to diagnose and treat health issues that could compromise an individual's health.

Accreditations

Accredited ATMS Member 13298 (Naturopath, Herbalist)

Anna Dwyer BNat

Anna obtained her Bachelor of Naturopathy at Southern Cross University (SCU), which is widely recognised as Australia's premier naturopathic degree. SCU was the first university in Australia to offer a degree in the discipline of natural and complementary medicine, more than a decade ago. The Bachelor of Naturopathy merges traditional knowledge and philosophy with a strong scientific approach. Anna's science-focused training is in line with the clinical approach of the Medical Naturopaths at Sensible-Alternative.

Anna trained with Sensible-Alternative Clinic for most of 2008, and now practices with a focus on thorough clinical assessment, and uncovering the cause of ill health. Anna believes that such concise diagnosis results in a streamlined and cost-effective treatment plan, and a more successful treatment outcome.

Anna is available for Saturday appointments. You will meet her on reception duty during the week.

Accreditations

Accredited NHAA Member 154640 (Naturopath, Herbalist, Homoeopath)

Suzie Levett, ND

Suzie Levett was with Sensible-Alternative for 3 years, and made invaluable contributions to patient care in the clinic. In March 2008, Suzie left us to provide Naturopathic services overseas.

Thank you Suzie, and good luck!

Suzie's patients will be well cared for by Lara, Deborah, Kate or Anna. We are committed to a continuity in your treatment plans. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns.